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Long‐term study of minerogenic particle optics in Cayuga Lake, New York
Author(s) -
Effler Steven W.,
Peng Feng
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.2014.59.2.0325
Subject(s) - particle (ecology) , whiting , scattering , mie scattering , pelagic zone , chemistry , mineralogy , light scattering , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental science , physics , optics , geology , oceanography , chromatography , biology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
The dynamics of light scattering by minerogenic particles in the upper waters of Cayuga Lake, New York, were characterized for the spring—autumn interval of 8 yr (1999–2006) at pelagic and nearshore sites with a scanning electron microscope interfaced with automated image and x‐ray analyses (SAX). SAX results were used to estimate the minerogenic scattering coefficient ( b m ) through Mie theory calculations. SAX—Mie supported a two‐component model for particulate scattering ( b p ) that included an organic component of scattering ( b o ), estimated from a bio‐optical model. The credibility of the b m estimates and the two‐component modeling approach was demonstrated through good closure of the modeling results with bulk values of b p (estimated from measurements of the beam attenuation coefficient at 660 nm). The average of the ratio b p : ( b m + b o ) was 1.03 (average relative error 19.4%). Two minerogenic particle types were important in regulating the dynamics of b m —clay minerals that increased in concentration in response to runoff events, and calcium carbonate precipitated mostly on small organic particles during short‐term late‐summer whiting events. b m was attributed to particles in the size range of 1–10 µm. Variations in b m dominated the overall variations in b p and Secchi disk depth; differences in b o explained well those observed in b p during dry weather intervals of low b m . Higher b m values, mainly associated with clay mineral particles, were observed at the nearshore site as opposed to the pelagic location; there was a positive linkage between these levels and tributary flow rate.